My Experience With Design-My-Roof Widget

By Colin Sheehan. 

The benefits of sharing try-before-you-buy online tools with homeowner clients. 

A new roof is a large investment for homeowners. Not only must they choose a roof with functionality that best matches their needs, but they also must decide between an overwhelming number of aesthetic options. On top of that, they probably have a budget to keep in mind. What was once praised as an advancement of modern society – that is, an endless gamut of possibilities for consumers to choose from – has become a burden on homeowners who find themselves in the rabbit hole of roofing research. 

Fortunately, there are several tools available to help homeowners visualize what their final results may be. These easy to access and user-friendly tools can help homeowners make an informed decision quicker, one they can be proud of for twenty to fifty years down the road. 

These include: 

• GAF’s home remodeler tool  

• Malarkey’s roof designer tool   

• Owens Corning’s roof visualizer tool 

• TAMKO’s roof visualizer tool 

• CertainTeed’s roof designer tool

• IKO’s roof color selector tool 

• DECRA Metal Roofing’s roof designer tool 

I experimented with DECRA’s “Design My Roof” online widget which has the option to visualize a variety of roofing styles on their home. Users can upload an image of their home or choose from stock images of homes. In the tool, users select different roofing styles, textures and colors and have the option to learn more about products they like. Additionally, users can save their projects to come back to and reference later, which is especially helpful when homeowners are ready to conduct a final comparison. 

One of the main benefits I found when using this tool was how easy it makes it to compare and assess products on the basis of look, functionality and budget. I even uploaded a picture of my house’s roof and began playing with different textures and colors. While the results aren’t perfect, they do provide a useful visual that can help homeowners exit the research rut.  

Encouraging indecisive customers to use these tools will not only benefit them, but is a good idea for the contractor. With these tools, homeowners can provide contractors with a more complete picture of what they’d like to see on their new roof.   

Have a question? AskARoofer. 

Find your local roofing contractor in the RoofersCoffeeShop® Contractor Directory.

About the writer:

Colin Sheehan is a reporter, videographer and video editor at RoofersCoffeeShop®. He graduated with a B.A. in English with a Film Emphasis from the University of Colorado in Denver. Colin is a storyteller, musician and loves long hikes and camping in the Colorado mountains.